Tuesday, August 25, 2015

One of the big movements in classrooms is to have a "break spot" - a spot in the classroom where students can go to "take a break" and cool down from a conflict/issue, regain their focus, just take a breather. At the beginning of the year, you teach kids how to use the spot to regulate themselves and what tools they will have their to use.

This year I really wanted to add sensory bottles to my break spot. Just a calming item that a kiddo can use to calm their body down and get ready to learn. I learned how to make these particular ones from my mom in her toddler teaching days, but there are tons of various "cool down" bottles out there!

You need a more cylinder type water bottle. Your typical Poland Springs ones with ridges aren't the best. I bought a VOSS water 6 pack, mainly to get the handy carry case.

I made 3 bottles with baby oil and 3 with corn syrup. Each variety is awesome in it's own right! The food coloring goes in the baby oil bottle, you need sequins in the corn syrup ones.

For the water and baby oil ones, fill your bottle with water - anywhere between halfway and 2/3 full. Then add 1 drop of food coloring (one is plenty!). Then add some baby oil. Start small and get a nice layer on top of the water. Place the cap on and give it a whirl and see if you like the effect. You want the oil to make bubbles as it moves through the water and kids can then watch the bubbles settle as they cool down.

Now, onto the sequin bottles!

My mom sent me some fun sequins, thanks mom!

For these, you want the bottle empty of water and completely dry. Then you want to fill your bottles about 1/2 to 2/3 full with light corn syrup. Add your sequins. Go slowly you don't want that many, but enough to get a nice effect of watching them slide around.

When you're happy with the bottles, gorilla glue the lids shut (you want these to calm things down, not make it more exciting!).

I covered the case in duct tape to make it look nice and they were ready to go for the school year!

And! Come link up and join the Good.Random.Fun. each Monday, right here!

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thoughts on the matter:

I think I need these for myself!! Not sure what that says about me. :) I love the concept of a break spot, and I love it that schools realize kids need breaks (besides recess). Wish they would have had that back in my day! :)

Heck I might make them for Blessing just because they are fun. I would imagine that you would have to be careful where you store them though. Will be interested to see how they look at the end of the eyar.